Curtain-rod connection.



F.L.LATHROP.V

CURTAIN ROD CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED 213.10, 1910.

974,398, Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

@ZW MW M "5 2mm i UNITED sTATns grENT OFFICE.

FRANK Il- LATHROP, OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO K. L. JUDID COMi- PANY, OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CURTAIN -ROD CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

Application filed February 10, 1910. Serial No. 543,004.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. LATHROP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wallingford, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Rod Connections, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in end connections for rods for supporting curtains, towels and other articles, the object being to simplify and cheapen the construction without sacrificing the strength or durability of the connection itself.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rod provided with my improved connection and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a similar view of one end, showing the first step in separating that end of the rod from its support or bracket. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the next step in separating said rod from the bracket. Fig. 4 is an end view of a detail. Fig. 5 is a side View of another detail. Fig. 6 is a section of another detail.

. In the drawings I have shown my invention as applied to an ordinary straight telescopic curtain rod, although it is obvious that it is immaterial whether the rod itself is straight or curved, both forms being wellknown, the straight form being used directly between the two opposite walls of a Window casing, the curved form being applied to the face of the window casing when it is desired to offset the main supporting part of the rod. It is also immaterial, from a broad standpoint, whether the rod be telescopic or not.

In the drawings, which show a preferred form of my invention, 11 are two telescopic sections of a rod. These rod sections are preferably formed by rolling up sheet metal into tubular form in such a manner as to make the seam thereof practically invisible.

2-2 are the base plates of the rod supporting brackets.

Since one or both ends of the rod may be provided with my improved connection, it will be necessary for me to describe herein only one of said connections, for example, the one employed at the left hand end of the rod.

The plate 2 carries an outwardly projecting pin-like member 3, having a suitable recess 4; intermediate its length. This recess is preferably in the form of an annular groove.

Near the end of the rod or rod section 1 and adjacent to the seam therein, and at a proper point to register with the recess 4 when the parts are assembled, is an inwardly projecting lug or nib. In the form shown, two of these lugs as shown at 55 are provided, one on each side of the seam.

6 is a collar arranged to slide snugly on the rod 1. When it is desired to attach the end of rod 1 to the bracket, the collar 6 is slid back on said rod to expose its outer end. This end is then slipped over the pin 3, the latter fitting the interior of said rod. When the lugs 5 encounter the end of the pin 3, further movement of the rod within the pin results in the expanding of that part of the rod upon the pin, the lugs riding along on the surface of the pin until they reach the recess 4, whereupon the tube will contract to ts normal shape, the lugs 5-5 dropping into said recess. The collar 6 is then pushed forward to cover that part of the tube on pin 3, thus securely locking the same upon the pin, since, so long as the collar stands in sald position that end of the tube can not expand to permit the lugs 5 to be released.

In the preferred form, I show a flange 7 on the extreme outer end of the rod 1, the function of said flange being merely to prevent the accidental displacement of the collar.

In devices of this character heretofore constructed, it has been customary to form this connection by means of a screw-threaded pin and collar, involving more or less relatively expensive machine Work. By the present construction, the parts may be very economically constructed, the pin 3 being preferably formed of sheet metal in the form of a tube, the notch 4 being rolled into said pin, said pin tube 3 being secured in any desired manner to the bracket plate 2.

While, of course, the rod may be economically produced by the rolling process referred to, 1t is obvious that it is not essential that the seam should extend the full length thereof, it being merely essential that there shall be a seam or slit in that part which is arranged to slip over the pin 3. It is also obvious that a mere reversal of the parts would not evade the scope of this invention, since the same end might be accomplished by having the end of the rod 1 enter the tubular pin, the collar 6 in this case sliding over the pin to hold it in firm engagement with the rod. This mere reversal is too obvious to require further description or separate illustration, particularly as the form selected for illustration herein by me is considered by me to be preferable from many practical standpoints. So also I do not regard my invention as limited to any particular use, although it has advantages as a means for connecting comparatively light rods specially designed to support ourtains, towels and the like.

Broadly speaking, the plate 2 is not essential to the construction inasmuch as any suitable means might be employed to secure the rod supporting pin in place on a window casing or Wall.

What I claim is:

In a device of the character described, a two-part telescopic tubular rod longitudinally adjustable, a support for each end. of the rod, each support comprising a relatively short pin-like member arranged to be permanently secured to a suitable wall, one of said pin-like members having a recess in its side, one of the telescopic parts of said tube being slitted, an inwardly directed nib in the side of said slitted tube at or near the slit therein and arranged to enter the recess in the pin-like member by which it is supported, and a collar corresponding substan tially in internal diameter to the normal eX- ternal diameter of said tube, said collar being slidable thereon to cover that part of the tube containing said inwardly directed nib when the parts are assembled and to hold that part of the tube against expansion.

FRANK L. LATHROP.

VVit-nesses:

W. E. ATKINSON, EDWARD H. BROWN, J r. 

